The idea of organic livestock is one that has really captured the attention of people. Stories of cattle being given large amounts of steroids and additives in order to bulk them up has people worried. There are studies that indicate consuming such meat isn’t’ good for you. Yet there are other studies that will tell you it doesn’t matter. Realistically though we live in a society where people are obese and have tons of health concerns. Could it be that the meat consumed plays some role in those factors?There are ranches in 30 states throughout the USA that grow organic livestock. In addition to cattle they also raise pigs, goats, and sheep. The biggest areas where you will find this taking place are New York, Wisconsin, and California. All of the foods that these animals are fed is organic in nature. There are strict guidelines about what they can be fed that are carefully followed. These ranchers are closely monitored too in order to ensure they don’t cut corners.The living conditions for these animals must be very similar to what they would experience in the wild. As a result it takes more open space to raise them than in conventional methods where they are jam packed into tight quarters. They have to be closely monitored for illnesses because they aren’t given vaccines or antibiotics.To help prevent the development of disease and other problems in these types of organic livestock environments they have to take other measures. For example they rotate the locations where the animals are able to graze. The offer them a diet that is free from any types of additives. As a result they animals have a healthy immune system to fight off illness. Any animal that may seem ill is quarantined and inspected so that it can’t spread any illness to the rest of the livestock.Keeping the living conditions very clean is a huge part of this type of organic livestock raising. Without that being in place the risk of bacteria or disease developing would be too great. By making sure the basic needs of these animals are continually met the overall stress levels are reduced too. Many experts believe this can affect the quality of the meat and milk that they produce.Everything from the care these animals get to how they live until it is time to slaughter them has to be carefully considered. There are stick guidelines in place and the goal is also to offer them a humane place to live while they are being grown for a source of food. The growth process though is one that takes place naturally instead of being speed up and enhanced by man made processed.In addition you will also be able to find lots of organic dairy products. They include milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. There are large dairy farms in California and New York where these cows are maintained for the sole purpose of producing milk. It is carefully processed to taste great but without all of the additives that our bodies really don’t benefit from.Finding locations where you can buy organic meat becomes easier all the time. Many grocery stores now offer a nice supply of it due to the demand. You may have to ask around for it in your area. Make sure you read labels to find that which is at least 95% organic but try to get your hands on products that are 100% organic. This way you can enjoy the meat you eat and not have to worry about various types of additives found in them.

If it’s not about healthcare reform, it’s about information technology. Whichever the case, both indicate that healthcare outsourcing is expected to garner a lot of business this year – and healthcare outsourcing providers such as medical coding or medical billing companies know it.Taking into account recent results released by Indian software provider Tata Consultancy Services (NSE:TCS), the company took note that in its last quarter ending December 31st 2010, one of its key wins was a multi-million dollar, multi-year strategic partnership with a healthcare company to provide knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) services in clinical development.Meanwhile, fellow outsourcer and IT solutions provider HCL Technologies (NSE:HCLTECH), who reported quarterly results on the 19th of January, announced strong growth in its healthcare vertical at 7.4%, on top of its better than expected results for the quarter.In terms of the healthcare reform, human resources and recruitment services provider Pinstripe, Inc. has revamped its leadership team with the appointment of Michael Soisson to Healthcare Practice Leader. According to the release dated 18th of January, the appointment will, “drive and promote innovative talent acquisition approaches for meeting the workforce demands being shaped by healthcare reform.”Xerox Corporation (NYSE:XRX) on the other hand is maximizing its solutions with its acquisition of company, WaterWare Internet Services announced on the 31st of January. Waterware is a provider of web application and software development, integration and customization. The acquisition improves on Xerox’s existing Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, allowing the company to provide electronic health record capturing and management, as well as pharmacy orders automation, maximizing on the electronic health records trend.Fellow outsourcers Vengroff, Williams and Associates also announced an expansion of its healthcare practice specifically in its revenue cycle management solutions. The release quotes research by Healthcare Finance News, which cited that, “the major complaint among hospital CEO’s and private medical practices lies in the inefficiency of the billing system.” The company has in turn improved on its revenue cycle management services to address this issue.But while more and more companies are focusing and revamping healthcare outsourcing efforts, a survey just recently released by Ponemon Institute as sponsored by data integration company, Informatica (NASDAQ:INFA) on the 1st of February revealed that more than half of healthcare companies do not protect patient data. The survey of healthcare IT professionals found that confidential patient records are not adequately protected from theft or loss, with most at 51% not protecting their data. The research further added that the conception is that outsourcing and cloud computing are increasing the security risk to confidential data, wherein 40% of healthcare organizations would not choose to outsource specifically due to security risks.Even with the current uptick in business in healthcare outsourcing, old concerns specifically issues on security have remained in the industry. Considering that more than half from the survey are not seeing outsourcing as an option specifically due to security concerns in a time when we are seeing increasing adoption of outsourcing in healthcare suggests that the current growth seen is merely a fraction of the true potential that the healthcare industry presents. The challenge now lies in overcoming the issue on security in order to secure higher growth.

Let’s face it, there’s tons of real estate investing information out there. But of all the people you’ve seen at seminars lapping up the words of wisdom from the real estate gurus, or the people you see at Barnes and Noble skulking around til 11 PM reading all the real estate investing books they can get their hands on (A charge of which I am guilty!), how many do you think actually succeed in their real estate investing businesses?I don’t have exact figures, but based on my experience as a real estate investing information provider and coach, I would guess it’s close to only 1-2% of people who want to be real estate investors get into the business and stay in the business and make it profitable.Those figures are so disappointing.Why is it so hard? Why do so many would-be investors fail before they begin? And why do others, who are able to take the first steps of their real estate investing career successfully, still fail to meet their goals long-term?I realized the deck was stacked against me as I begin as a real estate investing student at a seminar a few years ago. I bought all the real estate investing courses, signed up for private coaching, and watched as many of the people around me fell by the wayside. There were many times I wanted to quit, myself. You probably have your own story of struggle in your real estate investing career.It’s the million dollar question. Here are the conclusions I’ve been able to come up with.Why Do Real Estate Investors Fail In Spite of Great Real Estate Investing Information?1) The Myth of Get Rich Quick – Why do would-be real estate investors fail?Just because there are real estate investment strategies, such as flipping homes, that can be implemented quickly (60-90 days), that doesn’t mean that it is easy to find deals, negotiate them and close them in the first month or two after you start your real estate investing career. In my experience, most people need to take a little time to become familiar with the real estate markets in their area, real estate terminology and strategies, and then get started implementing so they can practice finding and negotiating with motivated sellers. Even with a good deal closed, you might only walk away with $5,000 or so from a flip. With a subject to or lease option deal, the property may take years to “ripen” in your portfolio before you are able to sell it for a significant profit. The biggest money I’ve seen people make quickly is coming from rehabs and short sale negotiations. Pursuing these types of deals can verge onto a full time job. They do work, and work quickly, but they take a lot of time to implement.2) The Myth of No Money DownSo many times, I have heard students come on coaching calls with me and say, “I just lost my job, so I am really motivated to make this work quickly.” or “My goal is to flip one house a month every month because I need some cash for start up capital.” These sentiments are probably being perpetuated by the gurus out there who encourage people to think that real estate investing is a no-capital-required business. Even after you get the formula down, it can take years before a paper-profit becomes cash-in-hand if you own rental property or do lease/options.The exception proves the rule and I’m sure it’s true that some people during some periods of time are able to make “thousands” quickly, when they need it most. For example, I know folks who get a lot of free deals off of craigslist or calling through the newspaper. However, for the vast majority of real estate investors, some money is required for marketing to find motivated sellers if they want to keep their deal pipeline reasonably full. In addition to marketing to find motivated sellers, deals take money for due diligence, legal fees, inspections, and so forth. If you plan to hold property as a landlord, the costs escalate even more steeply. If I had to put my finger on one major reason for lack of success in this business, besides false expectations, I would list lack of funding right at the top.3) The TRUTH in “It doesn’t work where I live.” There’s a cliche in the real estate guru field that speakers like to joke about. It’s that a lot of students like to say, “Your strategies won’t work where I live.” Guru’s play it off as a joke, like the person is making an excuse for not getting started in their investing, because they “can’t.” The truth of the matter is, there is a LOT of variation in the performance of real estate markets across the country. In some areas, like the South and Midwest, property values are relatively stable and properties cash flow well. In other areas, Southern California, Florida, and Las Vegas come to mind, property values fluctuate wildly and you can make a fortune or lose your shirt on the changing tides of appreciation. It’s very important to understand real estate market cycles and where your market fits within the current phase of the market. You implement to take strategies that work in your marketplace if you want to be successful locally. Otherwise, you need to do what I’ve done and learn to invest where it makes sense, without being constrained feeling a need to invest where you live. There are pros and cons to each strategy. However, my point is that it’s not right for the gurus to mock people who raise this objection. It’s a valid concern raised by thinking investors, even if it doesn’t help sell the guru’s real estate investing courses.So, I’ve raised a lot of concerns about the mis-information being circulated in the real estate investing industry. Have I disappointed you too much? I are you “off” of investing now? If you are good – if you can be talked out of it that easily, I’m glad I got you out BEFORE you invested any more of your precious time and money pursuing a strategy that doesn’t appeal to you.If not, even better. it is certainly possible to take a realistic approach to real estate investing and make it work for you. You can grow your net worth to millions, but it does take time and perseverance. I hope you’re willing to stick it out.